


TEAM C0UR4G3

by Sheepaleepz



Category: Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crack, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I'll put the big boy warning if it needs it later on, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), M/M, Other characters will show up eventually - Freeform, Swearing, This fic isn't as angsty as i make it out to be i swear, Violence, Warriors is straight up not having a good time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:21:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28040805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheepaleepz/pseuds/Sheepaleepz
Summary: In an alternate Hyrule where around 20% of the population possesses some kind of superhuman ability, Ganondorf's evil plans have been noticed by the Sheikah. Underpowered, their leader Impa recruits nine heroes to help take him down.Each of the Links has some kind of skin in the game. However, they lack the fighting experience and teamwork. Will they be able to stop Ganondorf in time?
Relationships: Four & Sky & Wind (Linked Universe), Four & Wind (Linked Universe), Legend (Linked Universe)/Ravio (Legend of Zelda), Malon (Legend of Zelda)/Time (Linked Universe), Sky/Sun (Linked Universe), Time & Wild (Linked Universe), Twilight & Warriors & Wild (Linked Universe), Warriors & Wild (Linked Universe)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 145





	1. On the Run

**Author's Note:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA oh my god ok. I've had this fic idea rolling around my head since September maybe?? I'm finally writing it! I told myself I'd finish "You're it!" first but I've been bursting at the seams with ideas haha. I've tried to write longfics before but this is the first time I feel truly motivated. Wish me luck folks, it's gonna be a wild ride.
> 
> Thank u again to ontoxay for betareading haha
> 
> If you're in this tag you probably already know but just in case!! This is based off of Jojo's Legend of Zelda fancomic called Linked Universe! You can find it here: https://linkeduniverse.tumblr.com/
> 
> EDIT: Imma be doing art for the chapters now! Maybe not every chapter but if I feel inspired I will!

Legend’s boots thundered against the pavement. He splashed through puddles, not stopping to brush his wet hair out of his face. It was raining—hard. The streetlights reflected onto the damp street. 

He could hear the sirens. 

Legend cursed. Splashes of blue and red projected themselves onto the walls of buildings, the sirens growing louder and louder and _louder._

It was a miracle they hadn’t caught him by now. Legend sprinted down the sidewalk, ignoring the searing pain in his chest, the raw feeling in his throat. His eyes darted from building to building. _There!_ A closed hardware store, dark and empty and exactly what he needed. He skidded to a halt in front of it, not bothering to check behind him. 

Sirens blared ever closer, and he closed his eyes and concentrated. 

Doors slammed open and shut. “Stop where you—!”

Legend didn’t hear the rest; he sprinted through the wall, phasing through it effortlessly as he had done countless times before. 

Now that he was inside, he searched for the back door. Legend weaved his way through the aisles, taking care not to knock anything over. He would have confused his pursuers, but not for long. He was wanted, they’d know at least some of his tricks. 

“We know you’re in there! Come out with your hands in the air!”

_Shit._

Legend peered from behind a shelf filled with nuts and bolts. He could see the silhouettes of officers through the store window. The sirens’ lights weaved their way into the store through the window. 

He looked around for the exit. He spotted a door behind the cash register and took his chances. Legend crouched down low so nobody would see him. He brushed the hair out of his face and phased through the display case where the cash register sat. 

“Come out!”

He phased through the door, not bothering to see if it was locked. He ended up in a back alleyway. He took a small break, but he wasn’t out of the woods yet. Legend took off his mask to allow himself to breathe more. It was a cheap black mask with a sharp-toothed sneer printed on it. He was completely soaked, the rain unforgiving. 

“We’re giving you to the count of three!” 

He had to keep running. 

Legend sighed and took off down the alley. It wouldn’t be long before they realized he wasn’t there. They hadn’t even chased him for that long, but he was already exhausted. He was used to running but not all the time. 

It was the second time this month the police had tracked him down. He felt like it wasn’t even safe to be in his own apartment anymore. Legend was no innocent man, but this was a crime he knew for sure he hadn’t committed. He didn’t deserve to be chased down. 

Ravio didn’t deserve to be in prison. 

Legend clenched his teeth as he ran—he didn’t have time to be angry about this now. His hair was in his face again, and his hoodie clung to his skin, completely drenched. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? 

More sirens.

Light stung his eyes, desperation clinging to him like his wet clothes. Cars blocked his exit—he turned to run back but froze. There were three officers behind him. 

One stepped out of the shadows cloaking them and into the twisting red and blue. In their hands was a sparking taser. Legend’s breathing quickened, blood rushed through his ears. He was trapped. 

“Stop! Put your hands up!” 

Legend took in his surroundings. To his left, there was a fence that led to a parking garage that could buy him some time. He took a deep breath, slowly putting his hands up. 

The officer lowered their taser. The other two seemed to ease up a little. One pulled out a pair of handcuffs— 

Legend took off again.

He heard one officer yell as he dove through the fence. Legend did a somersault before getting to his feet and running again. He phased through the wall of the garage without losing momentum, nearly running into a car before stopping. He found a small dark corner of the garage and sat there, knees pressed up against his chest. 

Tears started to form in his eyes, mixing with the rainwater still dripping down his face. He couldn’t cry, he had to be quiet. More tears streamed down his face as he tried to suppress his sobs.

It wouldn’t be long before they found him again. He had gotten lucky the last time. This time, he wasn’t so sure. 

There was a noise, accompanied by a bright flash of light.

Legend sunk down further into his corner. He heard footsteps, but he was too exhausted to try and escape again. He could only hope that whoever was there wouldn’t see him.

The footsteps were confident and calculated, high heels clicking down the cold concrete. Before long, the shadow of a woman came into view. She was tall, but that was all Legend could make out. He fumbled around for his mask and put it back on. 

_Invisible. Stay invisible._

The footsteps were coming toward him.

Legend panicked, he stuck a hand through the wall. No use, he was too tired to put his whole body through. This was it. 

“Link.”

Legend didn’t look up. 

“You want out, don’t you?” Her voice was sharp, albeit a little raspy. 

Legend still didn’t look up. 

“Look at me, I’m not out to get you.” 

Legend raised his head and glared at the woman. “Who the hell are you?” 

“Your name is Link, correct?” 

“I don’t answer to that.”

“Right, right. Street name ‘Legend’, currently wanted for the kidnapping of Senator Zelda Fable. From what I gather, you’re in a bit of a predicament right now?” 

_How did she—?_ Legend didn’t like the sound of this woman. He sat up, crossing his arms and sticking one leg out in front of him. 

“You could say that.” 

“Well it just so happens I can get you out of here.” 

He couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh really? You’re gonna magically get me out of here?” 

“If we strike a deal.”

“There’s always a catch, huh?” He rolled his eyes. 

The woman stepped into the light. She was middle-aged, sporting ghost-white hair, one side braided and the other in a neat bob. She had red lipstick and wore some sort of black bodysuit. She looked like she’d walked right out of a spy movie.

“My name is Impa, head of the Sheikah. We’re in a predicament of our own and we could use someone with your abilities in our current project.” 

Legend stared at her. He almost pinched himself. She couldn’t be serious, this had to be a trick. 

“What’s in it for me?” he asked. 

“We will make sure you and your friend Ravio are cleared of any punishment. Ravio will go free, and both your names will be cleared.” 

Legend exploded into laughter. “Oh, you’re _definitely_ lying to me. There is no way in hell I’d believe that.” 

“The police will find you here. You’re running out of time, Legend.” Her tone was cold. 

Legend’s laughter stopped instantly. 

“I can leave you here, and you’ll be wrongfully imprisoned just like your friend. Or you can come with me, and I can get you out of here.” 

“He’s not just my—whatever. How much time do I have to think it over?” 

Impa looked over her shoulder with unhurried disinterest. The sirens had started up again at some point, their distant blare like a ringing in his ears. “About a minute.” 

Legend looked at Impa then to the end of the garage. He could faintly make out the blue and red lights again. He sighed heavily. He really didn’t have much of a choice. 

“Fine.” He stood up and extended a hand. “I still don’t trust you.” 

“That is understandable.” Impa took his hand. “Close your eyes, it’s going to be bright.”

Legend did as he was told. His vision went from black to red for a split second, and he felt his stomach lurch. The noises of the city melted away and were replaced with a cold silence. 

Legend opened his eyes and was met with a sterile marble room. A singular front desk was at the end of it. Looking around, there were gray couches and plants behind him that sat in front of a large glass door. 

“You don’t really have anywhere else to go, I take it, so I’ll direct you to your room now. We can sort out your belongings tomorrow.” 

Legend stood there dumbfounded; Impa had already let go of his hand and walked halfway down the hall. He resisted the urge to pinch himself again and followed her. His wet shoes squeaked against the marble floor. 

The hallway was pretty bland, save for a few portraits of presumably past leaders on the wall. Some of which were curiously also named Impa. Legend almost had to jog to keep up with the one in front of him. 

“I have a quick question.” 

“Yes?” 

“I thought—”

“That Rhoam Bosphoramous was the head of the Sheikah? You’re correct. Sort of. I tend to lay low is all.”

“You must get that a lot,” Legend chuckled awkwardly.

“More than you would think.” Impa rolled her eyes. 

They arrived at an elevator. Impa pulled out a keycard and scanned it. The elevator opened and they stepped inside. It took them up to another hallway, although this one was much nicer. It was filled with plants and the floor was carpeted, making it feel like a hotel room. They walked to the end of the hall again where they were met with a big door. Impa scanned the keycard again, and the door opened. 

Inside was a large common room. It had a kitchen in the back and a large living space in the front. Legend took a second to look around, but Impa kept walking. 

Legend jogged up next to her. She took him to an offshoot of the room, a hallway with four doors on each side. Impa stopped at the first one, punched in a code, and unlocked the door. There was a rather plain-looking bedroom on the inside, consisting only of a bed, dresser, and desk. Everything was white. 

“This is where you’ll be staying. The door to the right leads to the bathroom. Let me know if you have any more questions. If not, I’ll let you rest.” 

Legend had… _so_ many questions, but truthfully, he was too tired to ask any of them. 

“Um, thank you,” he said, “this is still really weird.”

“I know. It’ll be weird for everyone. You’ll be meeting the rest of your team within the next couple of weeks. Get some rest,” Impa said in her most reassuring tone possible. She nodded, then left. 

Legend sat on the bed, pulling off his mask and hoodie and tossing them on the dresser. A million thoughts raced through his mind. He unlaced his boots and threw them off, they hit the bathroom door with a thud. He fell backward onto the bed and fell asleep.


	2. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are... are you hiding something from me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your patience!! I had to rework quite a bit of this chapter but I'm glad I did! Hope you guys like it!
> 
> Again, thank you so much to ontoxay for betareading!!!!

Wild stepped out of the community college. The streets were busy with other students. Some were taking buses while others rode on bikes or carpooled with friends. Wild always chose to walk. Apparently, he had a motorcycle license, but he didn’t remember getting it. 

Wild looked up at the sky— still cloudy. The taste of yesterday’s rain hung in the air. He pulled out his phone to check the group chat he had with his friends. 

_You guys free?_ He texted.

 _Sorry!!! I have to help Sidon with hmwrk :( tomorrow maybe?_ Mipha replied. 

_Nah, got practice._ Revali texted back. 

Wild sighed. Damn. No big deal, he’d get home and make dinner for himself and Flora. 

He waited for the sidewalk to clear a little. A bus pulled up to the stop across the street, and a bunch of students filed onto it. A mischievous grin crept onto Wild’s face. He walked over to the crosswalk and waited for the light to turn green. 

The bus pulled away as the light changed. Wild tensed up, preparing to break into a sprint. A couple of passersby gave him an odd look, he ignored them. 

He sprinted forward, picking up an inhuman amount of speed within seconds. Before long, the world fell into slow motion around him. Wild laughed, dodging in between people as if he were in an action movie. He grabbed a lamp post and spun around it before continuing his journey through the city. 

They didn’t call him “Wild” for no reason. 

He didn’t bother waiting for the light to turn, the cars moved at a snail’s pace compared to him. Wild jumped over the hood of one car and maneuvered around another. It was all a game to him, seeing how many dumb tricks could he pull off on his way home. Nobody else could see his antics. To the average person, he was no more than a gust of wind or a small glimpse out of the corner of their eye.

Wild reached his apartment, digging his feet into the pavement to slow himself. The sudden noise of the city hit him like a wave, causing him to cover his ears. He shook his head and steadied himself. He pulled out a key and entered the building.

It was an unassuming building at the edge of the city. An inconvenience to get to for anyone else, but a breeze for him. Wild headed up the stairs to the fourth floor. Empty as usual—not many people lived here. Despite him and Flora moving in almost a year ago, they’d only ever seen a couple of their neighbors. He reached the apartment, unlocking the door and entering the familiar space. 

Flora wouldn’t be home for another three hours. Wild threw his backpack and jacket onto the couch, then walked to the bathroom. He looked into the mirror, inflamed red scars greeted him back. They itched from his jacket rubbing against them. He scowled, grabbing lotion from the medicine cabinet and applying it to his skin. Wild sighed in relief before wandering into the kitchen for a snack. 

Wild opened the fridge. There wasn’t much, save for a couple of stray cups of yogurt and some soda cans. Wild grabbed one of each. He fiddled with the jammed drawer and pulled out a spoon before settling down on the couch. The adrenaline from running home began to wear off, slowly replacing itself with exhaustion. 

The television had nothing interesting to offer as usual. Wild settled for a nature documentary, only half paying attention as he ate his yogurt. He pulled out his phone, scanning through recipes he could make later on. He’d have to go grocery shopping this weekend. 

Two boring hours passed save for the occasional memes from Mipha. Wild felt his stomach growl, he sighed. He _really_ didn’t feel like cooking anything. He got up and searched the freezer, finding a package of dinolfos-shaped cucco nuggets. Flora always liked those _and_ they were easy. Wild put them in the oven, humming a made-up tune as he checked his phone. Another meme, and a strange reaction image from Revali. 

An hour later, and on his second helping of nuggets, Wild heard the sound of a key turning. The front door opened and in walked Flora. 

“Hey!” said Wild, not looking up. 

Flora let out an exasperated sigh. She pulled off her jacket, tossing it over the coat hanger. 

“Hey, Link.” 

“How was work?”

“Awful as usual, fuckin’ Karens.” 

“I made cucco nuggets.” Wild looked up at her, smiling slightly.

“You are my one constant in life, I love you so much.” Flora walked over to the kitchen counter and served herself a plate. She flopped onto the couch next to him. “How was school?” 

“Boring. I gotta study later, though. I’m just getting some energy back.”

“Because you used your superspeed to run all the way home? Or are you just procrastinating again?” Flora gave a sly smile.

Wild gave her a look, his mouth full. “Both?” 

She laughed and nudged him. “I’m just messin’ with ya.” 

Another hour passed before they finished dinner, slowly chewing their way through the cucco nuggets in companionable silence. Flora leaned against Wild, her plate close to falling off her lap—he could tell she was starting to fall asleep. He felt his own eyes growing heavy. A nap sounded nice. He could put off studying a little longer. 

The doorbell rang. 

Flora shot awake instantly, looking around in disorientation for what startled her. 

“It’s just the door, I’ll get it.”

Flora protested, but Wild had already gotten up. He walked to the door and opened it. 

There was a strange woman at the door. White hair and a black suit. She looked to be around 60. She didn’t smile, didn’t say a word, so Wild hesitantly spoke first. “Hello?” 

“Link Hateno, correct?” 

“Uh, I usually go by Wild, but yeah.” 

Flora looked over from the couch, calling, “Who is it?” 

Wild looked back, feeling the woman’s stare sit heavily on his scars as they faced towards her. “Dunno.” 

“My name is Impa,” the woman said. “We’ve met before, but I take it you don’t remember me.” 

Wild avoided eye contact. “I don’t remember a lot of things.” 

Flora leaned over the couch further to peer at the doorway, and Wild looked back at her for reassurance, feeling a little desperate. She locked eyes with Impa. Wild watched as her face went from curiosity to a cold glare. 

“Link. Close the door,” she said.

“What?”

“Close it.” 

Wild looked from Impa to Flora. Impa stood there patiently—Flora’s gaze didn’t falter. He sighed. 

“Uh, come back tomorrow?” he suggested, forcing an awkward smile. 

“Will do,” said Impa. 

Wild shut the door and turned to face Flora, who was standing beside the couch now. “What the hell was that about?” he asked. 

Flora looked away for a second. “I… it’s nothing.” 

Wild scoffed, “Well it’s obviously something! I’ve never seen you act like that before.” 

“I’ll tell you later.” 

“What do you mean ‘tell me later’? You looked terrified!” Wild felt his body tense up.

Flora shook her hands and started pacing around the room, “I-I’ll tell you! Just not right now. I’m really stressed out—sorry.”

“Are… are you hiding something from me?” 

Flora hesitated. She looked over at Wild, tears forming in her eyes. “I-I don’t think I’m ready to talk about it right now.” 

Wild thought for a moment. He couldn’t make her talk, and he let out a sigh as he relented. “Well, I told that Impa lady to come tomorrow, so you have until then I guess.” 

Flora wiped her eyes, and they stood in silence for a moment, staring at each other from across the room. Wild shifted in place, his gaze fell from Flora’s face to the floor. 

“I’m sorry,” Flora said, breaking the silence. She grabbed her jacket and hurried to her room. Wild watched her leave. 

He sighed, picking his things off the couch and walking to his own room. He knew he wouldn’t be able to focus now. What was Flora hiding? Was Impa bad news? Who even _was_ she? Wild threw his things onto his desk chair. He fell onto his bed, checking the time. 7pm. He checked the group chat again. More memes and a sneaky picture of Sidon from Mipha. 

_Hey y’all, weirdest shit happened,_ Wild texted. 

_Oh no!! What happened?_ Did Mipha ever put her phone down? 

_Weird lady came to the door, Flora seemed to know her. Told me to shut the door and won’t tell me who she is. Confused as hell, kinda pissed too_

_Always thought Flora seemed off_ , Revali chimed in.

_I mean?? I guess? I didn’t think so?_

_I’ve never disliked her, but she always seemed so,,, protective of you???? She works two jobs, doesn’t she?_

_Yeah, she does. I keep telling her I could get a job but she insists I rest and do college stuff. Kinda boring tbh_

_See what I mean?_ Wild could hear Revali’s deadpan tone through the phone.

_Yeah,,, I guess. Idk, told the weird lady she should come tmrw, we’ll see_

_Can’t tell if you’re smart or stupid. She could be dangerous._

_You takin’ Flora’s side now, Rev?_

_What? No, dumbass. You just don’t know who this woman is._

_Yeah well, little late for that now. Sucks that Flora seems to be hidin smthn from me. She’s the only one I even vaguely remember from before all my amnesia bullshit_

_Urgh yeah,,, you deserve to know things!!!_ Mipha replied. 

_Definitely._

_Well, let us know how tomorrow goes!!_

_Aight, thanks for lettin me vent guys. Imma go try and,,, idk study or smthn_

_Take care, Wild!!!_

_Seeya._

Wild set his phone on the nightstand, grabbed a brush, and sat up on his bed. He didn’t have the energy to study. He undid his low ponytail and set to brushing it. It had grown all the way down to his waist now; it got tangled easily, but that was fine. Wild loved how long it was getting, he’d let Flora braid it absentmindedly while he played video games. It wasn’t that tangled today, thankfully, so before long Wild set the brush down and started braiding. He sang quietly to himself, trying to stave off the frustration that was starting to build up inside him again. 

Once he finished, Wild looked over at his backpack. He still had no motivation to do any schoolwork. There was a noise coming from Flora’s room, but he decided not to check on her. He sighed and hauled himself over to his desk. Maybe a video game would get his mind off of… whatever this was. 

A couple of hours went by. Wild found himself listlessly clicking at the MMO he had been playing. It was pitch black outside, save for the streetlights and windows of nearby apartments. Wild’s computer was the only thing that lit up his room. He rubbed his eyes, exhaustion finally winning. He turned off his computer, sleep the only thing on his mind. 

The next day came. Despite his exhaustion, Wild had slept horribly. Flora was already gone, a half-full coffee mug the only hint that she had been there. He’d take the bus today. He’d probably pass out if he tried to run. 

He met Mipha and Revali outside of the campus building. Mipha waved to him cheerfully, Revali sipping on a travel mug full of coffee next to her. 

“Hey guys,” said Wild.

“You look like shit,” Revali said bluntly. Mipha nudged him and huffed. 

“Such a warm welcome, bird boy.” 

“Seriously, Wild, you alright? You do look really tired,” said Mipha. 

“Just got a bad night’s sleep is all.”

“That much is obvious.” 

Wild shoved Revali halfheartedly. Revali stuck his tongue out back as they all walked to class. 

Despite how engaging Professor Urbosa was, Wild couldn’t focus. He felt his mind wander back to last night. He wondered how Flora was fairing, even though he was more than a little upset with her. Wild tried to find ways to keep from overtly spacing out, choosing to stare at his blank laptop rather than the ceiling. 

The lecture was over before he knew it. Or maybe it was because Wild had spaced out the entire time. Mipha placed a hand on his shoulder, startling him from his trance. 

“Revali and I were gonna go to the bakery if you wanna come,” she said. 

Wild stared back at her, his gaze still vacant. 

“Wild?”

He finally processed what she had said. “Oh! Uh, not today, wanna make sure I get back home soon.”

Mipha cocked her head. “Well, alright, another time then.” She smiled, “I’ll see you!”

Wild waved halfheartedly as she met up with Revali. The two walked off, and Wild was left to pack his things. 

He stepped out of the building, the sun’s rays bouncing off of his face. It was a dry heat, no hints of rain like before. Wild bounced in place, he was still tired from running yesterday. His eyes migrated to the bus stop, it would be slow, but he could rest. Wild shook his head—no. He wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

Wild waited for the light to turn green, then ran. A million thoughts raced through his mind, as fast as his speeding form barreling down the sidewalk. His amnesia made the possibilities endless. What if he had done something awful? What if it was something he was better off not knowing?

His footsteps grew more intense with each passing thought. He dodged around people and vehicles with pinpoint precision. Wild didn’t bother pulling any stunts, he just wanted to be home. There was no grin on his face today, just a focused stare. 

Wild almost flew right past the apartment complex, stopping himself just before he hit the street. The city din hit him like a tidal wave and he almost collapsed from exhaustion. 

He slowly made his way to the apartment, legs shaking as he walked. Running had been a terrible idea. He opened the door and promptly fell onto the couch, face sinking into the pillow. 

Flora should have been home, she had an early shift today. Except—she wasn’t. The apartment was as silent as it had been that morning. He awkwardly shifted onto his back, looking around. The mug was still there. 

Wild felt his phone buzz, a text from Flora. 

_Going shopping, need anything?_

He glared at the phone. Great, he could have taken the bus anyway.

_Buttermilk? Was gonna make pancakes this weekend_

_Will do_

“She must be really fuckin’ putting this off,” Wild grumbled. Maybe he could take a nap before she got back. He closed his eyes, only to realize that his brain was still going a mile a minute. More thoughts entered his mind, leaving as quickly as they came. Each one filled Wild with more and more dread. He gripped the pillow tighter and tighter. 

_What if you used to be a terrible person?_

_What if you spend your whole life trying to live up to who you used to be?_

Wild bolted upright, throwing himself off the couch and pacing around the apartment, all the while running his fingers through his hair. Maybe he _should_ have gone with Mipha and Revali. It would’ve beat being stuck at home and left to wallow in suspense. Wild considered a snack, but his anxiety had left him with no appetite. 

He just wanted a distraction, any distraction—the paranoia was suffocating. Wild found himself glancing at the door every so often, waiting for that familiar click to clear the fog in his head. 

An hour later, his prayer was finally answered. Wild had shoved himself into the corner of the apartment, scrolling through various apps on his phone. He perked up when he heard the door open, Flora walking in carrying two bags of groceries. 

“Hey L—”

“You’re back!” Wild sprung up from his seat, rushing over to Flora before she could even finish her sentence to take the bags from her and set them on the counter. Flora hesitated before helping Wild put the groceries away. 

“You usually shop on Sundays,” Wild pointed out, trying to keep his tone from being too accusatory.

Flora laughed weakly. “We were out of coffee.”

“How convenient.”

“Yeah, the cup I had today was the last of it.”

“Shoulda told me you were going shopping earlier, I would’ve taken the bus instead of running.” 

“Oh, sorry.” 

“S’fine, but hey! Now that you’re here, you can explain some things, yeah?” Wild pointed at her with a milk carton before putting it in the fridge. 

“Explain what?” Another weak laugh.

“Oh, I think you know.”

Flora hesitated for a moment and sighed. “You know, I’m really tired from work today, could we maybe, uh, talk about this later?” 

Wild closed the fridge door, a bit harder than he had intended. “Hey, you _promised.”_

They locked eyes for a second, Flora’s face paling before she tore her gaze away. “I-I’m sorry I… I didn’t want to hurt you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“Hurt me?” Wild scoffed. “C’mon Flora, even _Mipha_ thinks you’re bein’ a little too protective of me. Maybe you’re just overthinking it—”

“I _have_ hurt you, Link, you just—” she sighed. “What _do_ you remember?”

“Dear Hylia, Flora, you know I don’t—” Wild started. He felt a sudden tingle run along his scars and faltered, protest dying on his tongue. “I dunno? A cell? Some weird tube things comin’ outta my arms? What, did you put me in there yourself?” he joked, trying to shake off the memory.

Flora didn’t share his sense of humor. 

Wild’s smile faded as he waited for her to say something. 

“...I may as well have.” 

“What?”

“You were employed by my father, we were sent on a mission but we—no, _I_ messed up. You were kidnapped, and—”

“Wait wait wait, hold on. _Kidnapped?_ You joking with me or somethin’?” 

“I went back to save you, but I got too reckless. They knew I was coming, so they wiped your memories.” Her voice cracked as she almost tripped over her words. 

“You really expect me to believe that?” 

“We got these scars when we escaped,” she said sharply. 

Wild jolted, the tingling coming back. Flora gestured to her own scars, the very ones that mirrored Wild’s—burn scars that ran from her right cheek down to her arm. Phantom pains worked their way up Wild’s left arm and spread to his cheek just looking at them. He traced his scars, Flora looking on anxiously. 

He took a deep breath. “Alright, so uh, say I believe that. What does that have to do with Impa? Why did she show up?” 

“My father, he’s… he’s the head of the Sheikah. Impa was in charge of us and I… I ignored orders. I-I went alone. I rescued you and I—no, _we_ left. I never wanted them to put us… put us through s-something like that again.” Flora shifted in place, her hands shaking. 

Wild froze. “So… so what? So there’s an entire organization that thinks we’re what, dead? AWOL? Flora, why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” 

Flora was practically bouncing in place. She looked down, frown etched on her face. “Link, you were comatose—”

 _“That’s your excuse?”_ Wild snapped. “Flora, I haven’t been comatose for over a _year!_ This isn’t just your decision to make! It’s my life too, isn’t it? You could’ve told me months ago!” 

“You wouldn’t have understood!” she shot back. “The Sheikah are _ruthless,_ Link, I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t gone back for you!” 

_“Then why didn’t you tell me?_ I’m not fucking five years old, Flora. It would’ve saved all this headache of me trying to figure out what the hell was going on!”

“I-if you had gone back… all the work I-I did to keep you safe… it would have been for nothing—” 

“It would’ve been _my_ decision!”

“You’re _my_ responsibility.”

Wild scoffed, “Oh, so you’re my mom now?” 

“I CAN’T LET YOU GO BACK TO THEM!” 

Flora’s outburst rang throughout the room. Wild took a step back, glaring daggers at his… friend. She sniffed, and tears started to pour down her face. She hugged herself. Wild stared back at her in a mixture of awe and anger. 

“You’re scared,” he said quietly.

Flora looked up. “Are you kidding? Of course I’m scared, why—”

“No. You’re not just scared of me getting hurt again. You’re scared of going back.” He felt tears form in his own eyes, staring at her in disbelief. The words fell into place like puzzle pieces. “You fucked up. You don’t wanna go back, and I’m—I’m your excuse.” 

“Link… how could you say that? I did this for you!” 

“The Sheikah took care of us, right? They know what I was like before this, they know about my past. They could have told me about my friends, _family,_ but no. You took that away from me.” His eyes stung as more tears built up, and Wild wiped his eyes angrily. “You knew how I could get my past back, and you… you hid it from me… goddess.” 

“It was for your own good,” Flora murmured. 

Wild didn’t look at her, couldn’t. “Why do you think you get to dictate my life?” he asked, suddenly exhausted. “You can keep telling yourself you did this for me, but you _didn’t._ ”

“What, was I just supposed to leave you there?” she shouted. 

"How did you know the Sheikah wouldn’t have come get me? You really think they’d just abandon me? Or were you just pissed at your dad for letting us get caught—”

“STOP! Stop putting words in my mouth. This is why I didn’t want to tell you!”

“Well, maybe I would have stuck around if you had.” 

“...What?” 

The doorbell rang. 

Wild wiped his eyes again and went to answer it. 

“Link, wait—”

“Don’t.” 

He opened the door, the same white-haired woman from yesterday was there. 

“Are you two free today?” Impa said flatly. 

“Yeah, sure, come in.” 

Wild lead Impa to the couch, Flora glared at her before sitting down on the chair across from them. 

Impa looked back and forth between them. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“You didn’t, it’s fine.”

“I find that hard to believe.” She shook her head. “Anyways, Link, I’m glad we were able to find you again. Although for you, we’re meeting for the first time.” 

Flora shifted uncomfortably in her seat. 

“My name is Impa, head of the Sheikah alongside Mr. Rhoam.” She offered her hand, and Wild shook it awkwardly.

“Nice to, uh, meet you.” 

“Currently, we are working on a new project. Gathering eight potential heroes that possess supernatural abilities into a special force. You just so happen to possess an ability that would be perfectly suited for this task.”

“My superspeed?”

“Precisely—”

“Oh no, no no no, you didn’t just come here to drag him back into your scheming again.” Flora protested, standing up. “Why can’t you just leave us alone, Impa?” 

Impa was unfazed. “The Yiga, an unethical group of scientists, has begun to resurface again. Their tactics and technological advancements have changed in the past year, and therefore we need to change our own.” 

Flora huffed. “This is _exactly_ what happened before. Goddess, if you hadn’t shown up—”

 _“Flora,”_ Wild snapped. 

“A small percentage of the population has powers, and an even smaller percentage has powers that can be used to combat evil. Link, we considered you at the very beginning, although finding you was the tricky part.” 

“You want me to join your special task force or whatever?” 

Impa paused. “Yes. Keep in mind it will be dangerous, you’ll mostly be used for missions that our usual spies can’t finish.”

Wild mulled it over. In the corner of his eye, he could see Flora burying her head in her hands. 

A lightbulb lit up in his head. “I used to work for you, right?”

“Correct.” 

“So you have information on me before my amnesia.”

“Yes.”

“If I join, will you help me… rediscover my past?”

Flora stared at him, mouth wide open. Wild didn’t respond. 

“The Sheikah will do everything we can to reconnect you with your friends and family. It’s only fair,” said Impa.

Wild took a deep breath, contemplating. He looked at Flora, properly this time, taking in the disbelief and betrayal in her eyes. It might’ve been her choice to hide his past from him, but no longer. This was his chance to get it back. 

From the way her head fell into her hands, she could see the decision set in his mind.

He stood up, Impa following suit. 

Wild offered his hand to shake. “I’ll do it.”


	3. Visions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Time appears to be running out of time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow okay, this chapter gave me so much trouble haha. Curse of chapter 3 I guess, I always have trouble getting past the third chapter for something. Thank you all so much for being so patient! Thank you to dreamofthewild for beta reading! Go check out his stuff >:D

Red.

Black.

Red.

Black.

Link gazed up at the man standing at the other end of the room. He couldn’t quite make out his face, but his hair was bright red. His left arm pulsated with dark, twisted energy.

A black and red substance pooled on the floor. Link couldn’t tell if it was blood or the same material as the man’s horrific arm. 

“Warriors! Look out!” 

Link snapped to look to his left—the man lunged, and with inhuman speed charged at a young blond man. A massive hand closed around him, and he _screamed_. 

Link wanted to scream too, but he couldn’t move. He could never move. 

“We’re done for!” 

“I’m sorry!” 

_“Warriors!”_

Red and black steamed as it dripped down the man’s skin. He grinned, flashing gold teeth as he tightened his grip around the young man. 

“You’re all pathetic excuses for heroes.” 

Link shot awake in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. He smacked his forehead—not again.

His visions were getting more and more vivid now. He rubbed his eyes in a futile attempt to wipe the thoughts from his mind. He checked the time: three in the morning. 

Beside him, the blanket shifted as Malon stirred. His wife met his gaze with bleary eyes. “‘Nother vision?” she mumbled.

“I—yeah. Sorry for waking you up.” 

Malon sat up slowly, taking his hand. “No need to apologize, dear.” She ran her fingers through his hair, gently pushing at his head until he slumped into the crook of her shoulder. “D’ya wanna talk about it?” 

Link sighed. “It was the same as usual, just more… vivid this time. I could hear people yelling and it wasn’t even muffled,” he hesitated, fear slowly creeping its way back up his spine, “I think… one of them even sounded like a child.” 

He could feel her stiffen under him, her hand pausing in its soothing motions. “A child? Goddess, that’s terrible.”

“I still can’t make heads or tails of it. Even though it’s so vivid it’s all blurry at the same time. I don’t recognize anyone, can’t move, can’t do anything.”

“D’ya think it’s gettin’ clearer because it might happen soon?”

Link froze. “I… I don’t know… oh no—”

“Hey, hey,” Malon whispered, “sorry for scarin’ ya.” 

He rubbed his eyes. “It’s fine, it’s just… a lot to think about.”

Malon hummed. “Well I’ll be here until you fall asleep again, and if you can’t that’s alright too.”

“Thank you.” Link kissed her cheek.

Thankfully, it was a cucco this time that woke Link from his slumber rather than a nightmare. He grumbled and sat up. Malon was no longer sleeping next to him—she must have woken up before him. He looked over at the clock, it was six in the morning. 

Link swung himself over and sat at the edge of the bed. His eyes felt heavy and the imagery from last night was still fresh in his mind. He yawned and stretched before pulling himself out of bed, fumbling through the dresser for a shirt, and throwing it on as he made his way to the kitchen.

Malon was at the table eating a bowl of cereal. Another bowl, reserved for him, sat next to her. Link could smell coffee brewing. 

“Mornin’ sleepyhead,” Malon teased. 

“G’morning,” Link mumbled and sat down. 

“How are you holdin’ up?” 

“Still exhausted and a little shaken if I’m honest. One of the scarier visions I’ve had in a while.” 

“Wanna take it easy today? I won’t mind if you sleep in a little.”

“No, that’s alright. I don’t think I’d be able to sleep all that well anyway. Work’ll help get my mind off of things hopefully.” 

“Well, alright then.” Malon didn’t sound all that convinced. She got up to rinse out her bowl. On the way back, she grabbed two mugs out of the cupboard and poured two cups of coffee, handing one to Link before sitting back down. The gentle waft of steam curled up into Link’s eyes.

Red and black. Someone screaming. 

He let himself inhale the familiar aroma, grounding himself in the moment. “Is there anything that needs to be taken care of right away?” Link asked. 

“The cuccos need to be fed, and Epona needs to be washed. I can take care of the rest.” 

Link hummed. “Alright, I’ll get on that.” 

He found himself staring into the feedbag half an hour later. Link jerked back to reality once he realized the cuccos were reaching over and helping themselves. He yanked the bag away, twisting it closed. The cuccos followed him indignantly as he put it away. 

That kid’s scream was still echoing in his head. 

Link shook his head, walking out of the pen with bleary eyes. He made his way to Epona’s stable. The horse whinnied as he made his entrance. Link stroked her nose before leading her outside. 

Red and black still clouded his mind. 

The hose streamed water down Epona’s auburn coat in a singular spot. She nudged Link and he jumped. He sighed, moving the hose around and brushing her with tired hands. 

_Who the hell was “Warriors”?_

“Hello? Are you Link?”

The brush flew out of Link’s hands. He whirled around to see a middle-aged woman standing on the other side of the fence. He’d been so lost in thought that he hadn’t even heard her approach. Link grumbled—probably another one of those tourists from the city, hoping for a lower price if she bought directly from the farm. 

“We’re only open on weekends, ma’am,” Link sighed.

“Which is why I wanted to talk to you now.”

What was this, a door-to-door sale? Link turned off the hose, giving Epona a reassuring pat. “Excuse me?”

“My name is Impa. Head of the Sheikah.” 

Something tugged at his mind. Her name sounded familiar. 

“What’s the government want with me?” 

“We’ve started up a new project. We’re gathering eight potential heroes to help us in our efforts to undermine the Yiga, an unethical group of scientists,” she said flatly, as if rehearsed. 

“Alright?”

“You possess an ability that could help us. We would like to hire you.” 

Another scream echoed in his head, and Link’s grip on the hose tightened. He was pretty sure he knew where this was going.

“What?” he asked coldly.

“You have the power of foresight, correct?” 

“Yes.”

“Foresight is an extremely useful power, one that could give us quite the edge—”

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” 

Impa paused, a little taken aback. “Pardon?”

“I’m not interested.”

“If you would allow me to explain—”

“No. Have a good day, ma’am.” Link took Epona’s reins and led her back to the stable. He didn’t look back. 

Red and black seemed to pool in front of him.

Link ran his hands through Epona’s mane to ground himself. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that this woman had just shown up. His visions had been getting clearer and clearer. 

They hadn’t started out this way. Small, vague details that hinted at something bigger. Seven years ago it had been a breakthrough. He’d never been able to see that far into the future before. It excited him; finally he foresaw something interesting, something different from his monotonous life. Three years ago, it grew more intense, taking on the form of an omen rather than a mysterious adventure. Now? Now it plagued him, consistent nightmares that grew more and more vivid as time went on. 

His exciting vision had twisted into something that filled him with nothing but dread. 

At least he had Malon. 

Link gave Epona one final pat before heading back to the house. It wasn’t even noon yet and he already felt exhausted. His hands shook and he couldn’t shake the anxiousness he felt. 

Malon wasn’t in the house, she was probably doing yardwork or something else productive. Link sat on the couch and turned on the television, which was halfway through the morning news. 

“...We have an update on the mysterious plane crash from last week,” the news anchor started, “reporters say the building that was damaged belonged to the Yiga—”

Link changed the channel.

“They’re really milking that story, huh?” he muttered. There was that name again, the “Yiga”. Link had heard the name here and there even before that Sheikah had shown up; a strange organization with unclear motivations. 

Gold teeth and red hair flashed before his eyes.

Link buried his head in his hands—the television provided little to no distraction from his dread. He flopped over onto his back and stared at the ceiling, taking deep breaths. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could swear red and black smoke crawled under his eyelids. Why was it bothering him so badly today? 

He heard the back door open, tilting his head towards the noise. Malon came in, her overalls covered in dirt. 

“Did you roll around in the mud with the cows or something?” Link joked. 

Malon looked down at her clothes and laughed. “One o’ the heifers knocked me over when I tried to get her back to the barn. I’m fine but I need a shower.”

Link got up and went over to Malon. He sighed, then hugged her tightly.

“Everythin’ alright?” she asked, hugging him back.

“I guess I’m having a bad day today.” 

“Aw, I’m sorry ‘bout that.” 

“A strange woman came over earlier. She said her name was Impa and was from the Sheikah. Wanted to… hire me for something.”

“The Sheikah?” Malon pulled back, frowning at the dirt she had gotten on Link’s shirt, “what would they want with you?” 

“She said something about my foresight. I’m not sure _how_ she knew about that, but honestly, that makes me trust her even less.” 

“Well, they say the Sheikah have eyes an’ ears everywhere. Still a lil’ freaky, though.” 

Link sighed. “Yeah.” 

“Well, how ‘bout we talk about this durin’ lunch? Lemme shower first.” Malon smiled, brushing off Link’s shirt.

“Alright.”

Twenty minutes later, Link found himself staring out the window, an opened loaf of bread sat in front of him. Malon sang along to a cheesy country song as she danced around the kitchen. She made her way over to Link, slowing her singing to a halt as she noticed his dazed state.

“Hon?”

"Wh—” Link jerked back to reality. 

Malon put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re real spacey today. You can rest up if ya need to.”

Link stared back at the bread and shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Malon frowned but didn’t say anything else. She took some cold cuts and cheese out of the fridge and began assembling a sandwich. Link watched her at first, waiting his turn to make his own lunch. 

Red and black smoke clawed its way into his peripheral vision.

He blinked a couple of times, trying his best to ignore it.

Later that night, Link sat on the couch. Malon leaned against his shoulder, half-asleep. An old movie was playing, but neither of them were paying much attention to it. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost midnight. 

He dreaded going to sleep, especially when his visions were acting up like this. He’d stay up all night sometimes, finding ways to distract himself. Tonight, fatigue tugged at his eyes. He’d have to sleep eventually. 

Link sighed, deciding to take a risk. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, concentrating. He focused in on himself, steadying his breathing. Slowly, he envisioned himself lying in bed later in the night. Frustratingly, he wasn’t sleeping. Curiosity told him to see further. He’d fall asleep eventually, and wake up similarly to how he did today. He’d do some yard work and— 

That Sheikah was back.

Link’s eyes snapped open. Malon stirred a little, but otherwise said nothing. Link grumbled to himself. No wonder he wouldn’t be able to sleep for a while.

The next day played itself out as he had expected. Unsurprisingly, Link had slept terribly. He pulled weeds out of the vegetable garden, waiting for when Impa would inevitably show up. Any minute now. 

“Mr. Kokiri—”

“What do you want?” Link huffed, wiping sweat from his brow. He got up and faced Impa, who looked a bit surprised by his rudeness. 

“You cut me off rather promptly yesterday, I was hoping we’d have a chance to have a more thorough conversation.”

“I’m afraid there isn’t much to talk about, ma’am. I have no interest in joining some secret organization.”

“May I ask why?”

Link scoffed. “ _Why?_ Why do you think? It’s nothing but trouble, I’ve seen enough already and I want no part in any of it.” 

“You’ve seen that far ahead? I’m sorry to say but that only piques my interest further.” Impa smiled slightly.

“It’s played over and over in my head, it doesn’t end well.”

“Your knowledge could give us the information we need to plan ahead, how to prevent this ‘bad ending’ that you speak of.”

“Prevent it?” Link scowled, “the future is inevitable, it cannot be altered. To think you can cheat destiny is foolish.” He turned to gather his things and leave.

“If it is inevitable, Mr. Kokiri,” said Impa, “why are you going to such lengths to avoid it?”

Link froze in his tracks, an icy chill ran down his spine. This woman had a way with words, and it was getting on his nerves. 

“I-I’m not interested,” he said, unable to hide the shiver in his voice.

“Clearly these visions are unsettling. You don’t like the outcome, yet you feel like there’s nothing that can be done.” 

“You shouldn’t put words in my mouth, ma’am,” Link muttered, turning back around to face her.

“Apologies,” she sounded less than sincere. “But, I am curious. If there were a way to alter the outcome, would you be more willing to cooperate?”

Link brushed the sweat off his palms, meeting Impa’s calm, inquisitive gaze with an icy glare. “People get hurt, and I can’t do anything about it. I just sit there, frozen, watching. Wouldn’t anyone want to avoid that for as long as possible?”

“Maybe so, but...” Impa mused, “perhaps your visions only show you what will happen based on your current path.”

“What?”

“Answer me this, Mr. Kokiri. Have you ever done anything to try and alter the outcome of a vision?”

Link thought long and hard. Most of his visions were actually helpful to him. He’d see himself buying something on sale or cleaning a feeding trough. Therefore, he’d know which aisle to go to, or that he needed to bring cleaning supplies the next day. Although, they always caught him in the act, never before. Unfortunately, that applied to the same vision that plagued him. He never knew what happened directly before, just what he’d do in the moment.

And he always had stood and done nothing.

“I haven’t tried to alter them, no. I see no reason to,” Link answered, finally.

“Even the more troubling ones?”

Link hesitated. “No.”

“Well, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try sometime,” she said.

“Huh?”

“Food for thought. I won’t bother you anymore today.” Impa gave him a small nod, then turned and left.

Link watched her leave, frowning. Change the future? It sounded like a pipe dream to him. 

The day came and went as normal. Thankfully, there wasn’t much to do, other than preparing for visitors that would arrive during the coming weekend. Link sat at the dinner table that evening, lost in his own thoughts once more. 

“You gonna put the cuccos up tonight?” Malon asked.

Link stared at the pasta in front of him, still in his own world.

Malon laughed a little, “Link?”

“Huh—? Oh, yeah I’ll do that.”

Malon grinned, “alright I’ll meet’cha after I’m done with the dishes. Gotta feed Epona too.”

They finished their dinner, Link headed for the cucco pen outside as the last glimpses of sunlight peeked over the horizon. Impa’s words still rang in his head. Altering the future? It was something that had crossed his mind before, but like he had told her, he never felt the need to change it. 

He thought ahead, a few minutes into the future, wondering how much food the cuccos would need. Instead, he saw himself chasing one that had escaped. The others followed out of the open gate. He could hear laughing from some unknown spot—it was Malon. Link almost chuckled to himself, it would certainly make for an interesting night. 

Link reached the pen, ready to lead the cuccos into the coop for the night. As he opened the gate, one restless cucco caught his eye. It made a b-line for the exit, clucking excitedly.

Instinctively, Link stuck a foot out to prevent it from leaving. He scooped up the cucco in one hand and shut the door with the other. It squawked and tried to peck and scratch at his face. The other cuccos, seemingly expecting a revolt, disappointedly went back to their usual business. 

Link held the bird in front of him, his good eye widening. He stared at it in disbelief as it calmed down, cocking its head inquisitively. 

“What the—” he whispered. Link thought for a moment, then closed his eyes. Surely, the cucco would escape again.

Rather than a mob of angry cuccos, he simply saw Malon. She leaned on the fence, waving to him.

The cucco pecked his hand, causing Link to drop it in surprise. It let out another squawk before running to the other side of the pen. 

Link sucked the cut on his hand, still staring in disbelief.

“Huh.”


End file.
